Housing Problems of Urban Areas
India’s urban population has grown at a CAGR of 2.8% over 2001-2011. It results into & increasing urban population from 27.8% to 31.2%. According to Census 2011, 377 million people live in urban area. According to Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce (FICCI), urban population will grow by 900 million by 2050.
Looming Housing Shortage in Urban India:
Growing concentration of people in urban areas has resulted in & increase in the number of people living in slum & squatter settlement. Increasing price of land & real estate compels poor to live in marginal areas.
According to Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation (MHUPA) – 2012, nearly 18.78 million housing shortage in existing in India.
Tenure
|
Total Urban Housing Shortage
|
Self-owned
|
11,681,728
|
Rented
|
6,993,189
|
Source: Report of the Technical Urban Group (TR-12) on Urban Housing Shortage 2012-17, Ministry of Housing & Poverty Alleviation, September 2012
|
State Wise Housing Shortage in India:
According to Report of MHUPA – 2012, following are the state-wise housing shortage in India –
Name of the State
|
Housing Shortage (Million)
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
3.07
|
Maharashtra
|
1.94
|
West Bengal
|
1.33
|
Andhra Pradesh & Telangana
|
1.27
|
Tamil Nadu
|
1.25
|
Bihar
|
1.19
|
The State-wise data shows a mixed picture where both developed as well as less developed states have families living in poor housing conditions. Uttar Pradesh has a housing shortage of over three million homes followed by Maharashtra (1.97 mn), West Bengal (1.33 mn), Andhra Pradesh (1.27 mn) and Tamil Nadu (1.25 mn). The top 10 states, in terms of urban housing shortage, contribute to 14.3 million or 76 percent of housing shortage. Nagaland, Uttarakhan, Jammu & Kashmir are the state with lowest housing shortage problem (Less than 1%).
Causes of Housing Shortage or Bad Housing in Cities:
Industrialization & urbanization go side by side. The cause of bad housing are as follows –
i. Increase in Population;
ii. Unplanned Industrialization;
iii. Income differential gap between population increase & the construction of houses;
iv. Unavailability of Urban Land;
v. Delay in approval from local authority;
vi. Rising construction cost;
vii. Lack of skill man-power;
viii. Financing problem for low income group;
ix. Limited financing root for developer;
x. Lack of proper guideline;
xi. Disputed taxesus regime.
Impact of Housing Shortage in Urban Areas:
The effects of bad housing are –
i. Lowering of Efficiency;
ii. Less Production;
iii. Increase of Social Evils in urban society;
iv. Increase Crime;
v. Women Dishonoured;
vi. Childhood Labour increase.
Steps Taken by the Government to Solve the Problem:
The Government of India & Local bodies have been given the task to solve the housing problem. Some of the steps taken by the Government are as follow:
i. The Subsidization Industrial Housing Scheme: This scheme has been started in 1952. The aim was to provide houses to the labourers. Under this scheme, the State Government, Legal Housing Construction Societies & Cooperative Societies provide loan to the extent of 65% for the construction of houses to the labourers.
ii. Low Income Group (L.I.G) Housing Scheme: This scheme has been started in 1954. The persons constructing houses could get a loan upto 80% who have no house of their own & have income less than Rs. 6,000 annually. Even on this basis the local bodies & Cooperative Societies & given loans.
iii. The Slum Clearance & Improvement Scheme: This scheme has been started in 1956. The aim of this scheme was to given financial assistance to the State Government & Local bodies for improvement of slum areas.
iv. M.I.G. & H.I.G. Scheme: Under these scheme loans were sanctioned by various banks & also by the Life Insurance Corporation of India to be utilized either by the people who have insurance policies or property of sufficient value. The loan can be returned with interest within 20 year’s time in instalments or when the life policies become matured for payment.
v. The Rental Housing Scheme: This scheme was started in 1959. The aim was to provide house on rent to the State Government employees.
vi. Land Acquisition & Development Scheme: Under this scheme, the State Government could acquire land & plots at suitable site, develop them & given the same to the people who are in urgent need of it.
Conclusion:
With an aim to alleviating housing shortage problem Government of India along with different State Government formulated & running housing schemes. Housing for all – 2022, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban, Slum Development Scheme etc. are some notable Government programmes. Along with that Nationalised Bank provide low cost housing loan to middle & low income group for the alleviation of housing shortage problem.
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